Venice Carnival

It is said that the first Carnival was organized in 1094 by the Doge Vitale Falier to quench the hatred of the poorest social class towards the ruling class. Around the end of 1200 the Carnival was officially established. It is said that the celebrations lasted up to six weeks

The first workshops that produced and worked papier-mâché and plaster were born and the ancient craft of the "mascarere" artisan still present in the Venetian reality.

In 1700, the Carnival becomes more and more important and during the festivities you could see even dangerous bull hunting shows that culminated with the cutting of the bull’s head in the city streets (hence the saying "cut the head to the bull").

One of the most awaited moments during the Carnival was "the Turk’s turn", a traditional walk (by a figure) balanced on a rope from the Saint Mark’s Bell Tower to his ship. After the death of a tightrope walker in the middle of 1700 this type of event was banned and later repeated until our time, known as "Flight of the Dove".

With the conquest of Napoleon and later of the Austrians the Carnival was abolished until 1979 when a group of Venetian associations and institutions organized 11 days of events

the first document that sees the Carnival as a public holiday dates back to 1296. Only in 700 the Carnival of Venice acquires importance throughout Europe and then stop with the arrival of Napoleon.In the 70s thanks to some associations and Venetian institutions the Carnival returns to the spotlight. The official opening of the celebrations is the "Flight of the Angel" from the Campanile of San Marco. Very suggestive is also the "Festa delle Marie" with its water parade.Carnival ends with Shrove Tuesday, 40 days before Easter